This invention relates to the field of scuba diving and the current methods and apparatus used by divers to carry weight in order to become negatively buoyant in water.
In the field of scuba diving, divers customarily wear a Harness System with a Back Plate as a means to hold the tanks to the body with a buoyancy compensating device mounted between the back plate and tanks. These harness systems typically employ shoulder straps, a waist strap, a chest strap and a crotch strap. A Harness system is a preferred method of holding tanks and buoyancy compensating devices because it does not restrict the diver and places the buoyancy compensating device and tanks behind the back and away from the diver. However, current methods for carrying weight on the diver are not designed to be worn with a harness. The present methods for carrying weight include: weight belts worn around the divers waist, which interferes with the waist strap of the harness system making them uncomfortable and dangerous since the harness system and weight belt can be entangled during any emergency release; pockets or weights that can be worn directly on the existing waist strap of the harness system, which are dangerous because they often can not be immediately released and they pull the waist strap down negatively effecting the fit of the harness; and weight systems that are basically weight belts attached to a set of suspenders which add extra bulk under a harness system restricting movement, are expensive to manufacture and still present entanglement concerns when worn under the harness system.
The present invention is superior to the prior art because it provides a simple, controlled and inexpensive means for a diver using a harness system to carry his weight without interfering with the harness system. The existing system mounts a pair or single weight pocket by a movable or fixed means to the existing waist strap of the harness system. Therefore, it eliminates the need for extra weight belts and weight harness/ suspender systems reducing the bulk under a Harness System allowing the diver continued unrestricted movement and providing a means to keep the weight close to the diver""s body by preventing the weight pocket(s) from swing out from the diver""s body. Additionally, an emergency release means can be added to the weight pocket(s) to allow a quick release of the weight from the weight pocket(s). By allowing for the release of the weight directly from the weight pocket(s) attached to the harness system, the weights can be quickly released in an emergency without the danger of further entanglement with the Harness System and any time a diver is transporting the harness system out of the water. Finally, this system can further comprise a suspension means mounted in a fixed or pivoting means to the weight pocket(s) and attached in a fixed or pivoting means to the shoulder strap of the harness system on the respective side or sides the diver places the weight pocket(s). This adds many benefits over the prior art to the current system, including: the weight does not pull the waist strap of the harness system down; the weight is supported by the shoulder strap(s) preventing the pocket(s) from moving down the diver""s waist; and the weight is shifted form the diver""s waist to the shoulder strap(s) increasing balance, comfort and acting as a counter weight to the weight of the tanks on the diver""s back facilitating transporting on land and ease of movement in the water.
In addition to holding traditional weight, the weight pockets can be used to hold other supplies that are used by the diver. Further, an outside pocket can be attached to the front of the weight pocket to provide two compartments for storage, such as negative weight in the rear pocket and divers supplies in the front pocket. The front pocket does not need an emergency release if used only to store supplies and other equipment, but an emergency release can also be employed, as used on the weight pocket, to provide a quick release mechanism to empty the contents of the pocket.
It is an object or the present invention to provide a harness weight system that can easily and safely attached to a divers harness system to provide negative weight and/or storage.